, 1887-08-18
STERN JUSTICE.
PrOvOcatiOn An insufficient EX-
cuse for Crime.
Mrs. O'Brien Must Face the Dis
trict Court.

Yesterday afternoon an eXamina-
tion took place before Justice Booge
of Mrs. OBrien, the woman who, on
the 18th day of July, attempted to
shoot herhusbahd Mt the depot in this
city. a friend and former neigh.
Dor of Mrs. O'Brien's happened to be
in the city, and by change hearing of
the trial, volunteered to appear for
the defendant. District Attorney
Jones conducted the prosecution. AS
the woman plead guilty to the
charge 1t was agreed to dispense
with other witnesses.
The examination of Mrs. O'Brien
revealed a story of suffering, of mis-
cry, of inhuman cruelty, anu dis
gusting outrage, such as has seldom
been equalled in any criminal court.
III her story Is true, and there Is evi.
dence to substantiate il, Mr.. O'Brien
is nothing less than a monster of de-
pravity, without self respect, with.
out honor, without decency, and the
only cause for regret, in connection
with the shooting, Is, that the bullet
failed to accomplish lhe purpose for
which it was fired.
The scene in the little courtroom
was very pathetic. On one side sat
tile poor abused woman, alone, with
no one to comfort or aid her, except
her former neighbor, who was treIn-
bling with indignation at the thought
of the abuse which had been heaped
upon her by the brute who had once
promised to love and cherish her.
Before the defendant was sworn
her friend asked permission to ad-
dress the court, and in words made
eloquent by the very emotion which
choked and interrupted them
told the story of his acquaint-
ance with the unhappy woman.
In Fremont, Nebraska, he had
lived close by her home for years;
had heard her story; had seen with
his own eyes the indignilles to
which she had been subjected by
the man(O who called her wife.
He knew how Mr. O'Brien was re-
garded In that place, and did not
hesitate to say that he had yet to
meet the person who thought well
of the man. In all his life he had
never met blacker william than
the bastard who had, by his perse-
cutiODs, driven the defendant to "a
state of frenzy, during which she
committed the crime charged
against her. He admitted that a
crime had been committed, but
claimed that at the time the woman
was in such state of distraction as
to be irresponsible for her actions;
that though she had attempted to
take the life of her former husband,
she had prOvocatiOn, which took
away the gravity OF the crime; that
no requirements of justice would be
met by furnishing her. She had
justice on her side.
He then went Oh to recount the
way i'm which Mrs. O'Brien had
been bounded and worried after OBJ
tanning divorce from her husband,
and wound up by reading an eX-
tract from a letter written recently
bya daughter of the O'Briens now
living In Diana, Dakota. This letter
contained damuing proof that be-
sides being a brutal husband o. Brien
was also an
| UNNATURAL FATHER.
for Ii contained the words: "If nec-
essary, | will make affidavit that
father seduced sis and tried it on
me-"
The reporter afterwards read the
entire letter, which was pathetic in
its utter misery and despair. Among
other things it contained the infor-
nation that O'Brien had visite d
that locality since the shooting, and
told people that his wife was on her
way To the peniteutiary.
After few more words OF plead.
ts,r- t.D v.x u
:. completely overcome by indignant
emotion.
MRS. o'BRIEN SWORN.
Mrs. O'Brien was then sworn and
gave the following story: She was
married to O'Brien IN 1854 and lived
with him twenty-eight years; dur
| ing that time he treated her very
cruelty, and frequently struck her so
as to cause severe bruises; he was also
unfaithful to her. and while in COM
pany with other women contracted
u loathsoine dise,,se, which he i'm
parted to her. All this she bore
patiently for the sake Of her children
Her husband then began to call her
vile names and accuse her Of being u
prostitutes; (Here the lawyer for the
| prosecution asked witness tO men
ton some Of the Names to which she
| illudeG,) for a moment the witness
hesitated and looked appealingly at
! the men grouped about, then finally
an desperation repeated several
terms too vile to be printed. Four
years ago she felt that she could
bear the abuse no longer, and there :
fore applied for a d ivOrce which was
granted. At first the children were
given to her, but as last she gave
them all up with the exception of
Harry, her darling; then O'Brien
got out an Injunction In Nebraska TO
prevent her taking the boy out OF
| the state; she was worried and worn
out and thought to elude her perse.
cutO-s by stealing away quietly; she
but heard thar O'Brien wa- ON her